


Familiar

by thatwriterlady



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Ancient Rome, Angry Dean Winchester, Animal Instincts, Challenge fic, F/M, Familiars, History, M/M, Magic, Magical Binding, More Tags To Be Added If I Continue, Nudity, Prophecy, Protective Dean Winchester, Restless Sleep, Sharing a Bed, Spells & Enchantments, Think Supernatural Meets Hogwarts, Two Tropes, Went With Witch/Familiar & Werewolf, Werewolf Dean Winchester, Werewolves, Witch Castiel, Witches, not that much fluff, thunderstorm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2019-05-09 14:32:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14717903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatwriterlady/pseuds/thatwriterlady
Summary: When a witch reaches their 25th birthday, they get their familiar.  The ceremony that will bind the familiar to the witch for life takes place at midnight, and Cas makes the drive to his family home, because the spell is performed with one's coven, never alone.  A familiar doesn't instantly appear though, they have to make their way to their witch.  Cas accepts this, and when he turns in that night, he fully expects that it will take days, if not weeks for his familiar to reach him.That night a thunderstorm of epic proportions arrives, and with it comes Cas' familiar.  It's not a sweet dove, like his mother has, or even a mischievous ferret like his brother's.  No, Cas' is a werewolf, and this werewolf ispissed.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my fic for the Two Trope challenge in the Hidden By the Trenchcoat FB group. The two tropes that I chose from the list were werewolf and witch. I have added some original characters and I hope you like them, and the way I took the story. It's a bit of my own creation mixed with some other fantasy I've read to create a completely new and (hopefully) unique magical universe. Enjoy!

 

 

Cas hurried through the winding hallways, up the back flight of stairs and down another hallway until he reached his sixth year English Lit class.  His parents weren’t very pleased that he’d chosen to go for a degree in teaching English and Creative Writing instead of Magical History but this was his life, not theirs, and history was only so interesting before it all became repetitive.  He wanted to instill a love of books on younger generations, to see at least a few of them every year fall in love with reading, and be able to share his passion with them, so that one day, at least one of them might want to teach English too.  Creative Writing was an extremely wonderful outlet for expression, and he was eager to share another passion of his with his future students, and see what wondrous things they could dredge up from the depths of their imaginations.  It was going to be so exciting!  His brother Mike called him naïve and at times even delusional in thinking that children today would be eager to learn anything but he didn’t care.  He wanted to teach and there was nothing that was going to stop him.

 

He settled into his seat at the back of the lecture hall and listened as the professor started talking about The Faerie Queene, and the different allegorical interpretations of the epic Spencerian poem.  It wasn’t his favorite period for English literature, but it was pretty close.  As the professor droned on, Cas looked around the room.  This particular room was semi-circular, with seats going up to ten rows, filling ¾ of the teaching space.  This gives Cas a fairly good view of the other students.  Some were dutifully taking notes, as if it were vital to write down every novel and poem in excruciating detail that ever came out of that period.  He already knew all of the works the professor was talking about because he was the type to study as far ahead as he could possibly manage.  For this course he’d practically studied the entire syllabus before the class had ever even started.  English had always come easily to him.  It was spells and enchantments that were a real bitch.

 

Looking around, he saw several students sleeping, and a bunch more were typing away on their phones.  He idly wondered if they had also studied the material ahead of time or if they were just lazy.  In the end it didn’t matter, only his own grades did.  A student two seats over was working on magic, he could see the sparks of electricity flashing between her fingertips.  Students weren’t supposed to practice magic outside of the designated classrooms, unless they were a fourth year or higher.  He wondered if she was a fourth year.  He happened to be in his sixth year and if he wanted, he could pass the time with minor spells, but he happened to like this class and didn’t want to distract the professor.  The young lady caught his eye and smirked before dropping her hands back to her desk.  Probably not a fourth year then if she stopped after being noticed.  He turned away from her and sought out a familiar head of light brown hair down in the front row.  Dean Winchester had been here as long as he had, though what the man’s major was, Cas had no idea. 

 

Their paths had only crossed a half dozen times in six years, and Dean wasn’t in any of his magic courses.  That meant he wasn’t a witch.  But what _was_ he?  This was something Cas had pondered for years now.  Was Dean a vampire?  No, they tended to take the night classes.  It wasn’t because they would burn up in the sunlight, contrary to mythology, but because they tended to party _a lot_ , and waking up before two in the afternoon was next to impossible for almost all of them.

 

Maybe Dean was one of the demigods.  They didn’t need magic classes as most of them couldn’t practice magic even if they tried.  Cas had dated a demigod his third year, and boy, talk about an ego!  It had been short lived, and he’d decided after that to avoid the demigods as much as possible.

 

Dean had the most vibrant, beautiful green eyes and he loved the moments when they’d skim over him, even if he wasn’t _really_ seeing Cas, it still made his stomach flutter and his heart beat faster.  The man was beautiful and always had a bevy of beauties clamoring to be close to him.  Dean was incredibly polite though, and always let them down as gently as possible.

 

Maybe he was Fae.  Fae tended to draw people in with their beauty.  Dean didn’t move like the Fae did though.  He walked assuredly, boots heavy on the ground, and with a purpose whenever Cas saw him.  No, he wasn’t Fae.  They liked to wear as little clothing as possible and their feet were bare whenever it was socially acceptable.  When it wasn’t, they wore flip flops everywhere.  His friend Charlie was dating a fairy, Gilda, and Gilda always dressed in these short, light sundresses with flip flops when she was at school.  Charlie said that when she was at home, the clothes and shoes came off, and she wouldn’t put them back on until she absolutely had to.  So not Fae.  Was it possible he was just a human? 

 

Humans didn’t tend to really want to go to a school of magic, but there were sometimes a few that did.  They were rare and usually pretty easy to spot. 

 

“Oh, stop guessing.”  He chided himself softly as he pulled out his phone.  Two new messages, one from Charlie, inviting him over Saturday to play video games with her and Gilda (that meant being around a _very_ naked fairy for hours as they played whatever new game Charlie happened to be enchanting at that time.  She was only a fifth year but she was extremely gifted, having cast her first spell at the tender age of _two_.  Cas hadn’t even cast his first until he was four!  He decided he would check the message from his mother before telling Charlie he would be there, and boy was he glad he did.  He’d plum forgotten what this weekend was!

 

This was the year he got his very own familiar.  Looking around again he could see several others with theirs.  Lucy Donnelly sat with her phone in hand, staring at the screen while her familiar, a rather intimidating looking screech owl sat on its perch beside her desk, its head swiveling constantly as it watched the other familiars in the room. 

 

Jake Tally was trying to take notes, but his snake Zelda had other intentions.  She was draped around his shoulders, reaching down with her tail to steal his pen every few minutes, and frustrating him endlessly. 

 

Bela Talbot’s familiar was a crow named Crowley that mostly sat perched on the back of the empty chair next to hers, but every now and then, if he grew bored, or saw something shiny, he would fly off to investigate.  Cas had lost a silver pen to the bird that Bela had embarrassingly returned at the end of class two months prior.  He didn’t mind though, Crowley was actually kind of cool.

 

Chuck, whose last name Cas just could not remember, had a mouse as his.  Cas thought maybe that was fitting, considering how skittish Chuck was.

 

Andy, another one whose name he couldn’t completely recall had a hissing cockroach as his familiar.

 

Lucifer Morningstar had a vicious looking, absolutely enormous, black pit bull that was actually the sweetest, friendliest dog Cas had ever had the pleasure of meeting.  Lucifer had gotten a bad rap, mostly because people made assumptions about his familiar, but Cas had seen past the lies, and he’d made friends with Luke, and with his dog, Miss Molly. 

 

The last student in here with a familiar was Hannah Hyde.  Hers was not permitted in any classrooms though since hers was a grizzly bear.  Cas couldn’t imagine having one of _those_ as his familiar!  The bear, his name was Fred, was rather gentle, which was not at all indicative of the species.  Cas chalked it up to the fact that he was a familiar and not just your average, run of the mill grizzly.

 

He was curious what his familiar would be.  There was no way to know before the ceremony was completed, and even after it was done he still had to wait for his familiar to find him.  The magical pull would be irresistible once the spell was complete.  The natural laws of magic dictated what familiar a witch would have and once the link had been made, it could be broken only by death of the witch or the familiar.  It was because the spell made for a much longer than average lifespan for the familiar, one that would match the length of their witch.  The only way a familiar could die before their witch was if they were killed.  He planned to never let that happen to his, whatever it may be.  It was exciting knowing he was ready to accept his.  This was, after all, the eve of his 25th birthday.

 

After texting Charlie to tell her why he couldn’t come this weekend, he sent Hannah a message, excitedly telling her this was finally his time.  She read the message and smiled at him from her seat across the room.  Had the professor not seated everyone himself, he’d have sat with his friends, but alas, he was made to sit between Gordon Walker, a vampire with an incredibly bad attitude who actually took day classes because he was not into partying in the slightest, and Josie Rinkle, another witch who was in her third year.  She had an affinity for English and languages, so she was plowing her way through all of her English courses. 

 

When class ended, Cas gathered his things and with a snap of his fingers, his books were transported back to his dorm room.  This was his last class of the day and he hated carrying them.  Hannah made her way over as he started for the door and patted his shoulder.

 

“Are you excited?  You could end up with anything, you know.”

 

“I am very excited.  I’ve been thinking.  Is there any truth to what they say about what previous family members had as their familiars would determine what I might get?”  He asked.  “Because my brother Gabriel has a ferret, which is very fitting actually, she’s as mischievous as he is, and my sister Anna has a wolf.  It’s a timber wolf and incredibly docile, considering.  My brother Michael’s is a bird though, a bird of paradise, to be exact.  It’s odd that his is not a mammal.” 

 

“No, I don’t think it makes a difference.  My mom’s was an eagle, my dad’s a turtle.  I ended up with a bear.  Who knows what my sister will get?”  She shrugged.  “I wouldn’t worry too much about it.  Whatever you get, it will be loyal and very eager to help you when you need it.”

 

He nibbled thoughtfully at his lower lip as they made their way out into the hall.  They lingered, walking slowly as they talked and when Dean came out of the room and headed in the other direction, he couldn’t help but stare.

 

“You should ask him out.”  Hannah broke through his thoughts and he blushed deeply as he looked away from Dean’s retreating figure.

 

“I can’t.  I’ve never asked anyone out, they always ask me out because I’m just so awkward.  Do…you know what he is, per chance?  I find myself wondering quite often.”

 

She smiled knowingly as she hooked her arm through his and pulled him down the hall.

 

“No, I do not, but he is awful handsome, isn’t he?”

 

He sighed as he thought again about Dean’s bright green eyes, those plush lips, that body…

 

“He’s gorgeous.  I wish he’d look my way.”

 

“Well, as far as I can tell, he’s very focused on his studies.  I hear his brother is a second year and is a bit of a genius.  Rumor is, he’s in here to become a lawyer, intending to work on behalf of the state to persecute those using magic in an unlawful manner.  In other words, he wants to crack down on those using dark magic.  It’s an admirable career choice, especially for one so young to make.  I still don’t know if I want to apply to be a healer or if I’m better suited to teaching.”  This time it was her that sighed.  He grinned and squeezed her arm lightly as they walked down the stairs together.

 

“You’ll figure it out when you’re ready.  Let the fates guide you.  As soon as I know what I have, I’ll message you.  I really hope it’s not a cockroach, they creep me out.”  He shuddered and she laughed at his joke.

 

“You just work on your thank you to your familiar for when they do finally arrive.” 

 

“I already have it planned out.”  Of course he’d written it _years_ ago.  She rolled her eyes fondly.

 

“Of course you do.”


	2. Chapter 2

Saturday morning Cas made the drive out to his family home, which was a three hour drive, but was necessary.  The ceremony would take place at midnight and last an hour.  Then he would go to sleep and make the drive back to school Sunday afternoon. 

                                            

The drive was peaceful and he cranked the radio up as he drove home to the family estate.  His entire family would be present for his “coming of age”, and he was looking forward to seeing Anna and Gabe.  Mike was an ass sometimes, but he was even looking forward to seeing him. 

 

The weather was pleasant and as he pulled into his family’s circular driveway, he felt a sense of calm wash over him.  A spell cast by his mother, no doubt.  He appreciated it as he climbed out of the car and headed for the stairs that led to the front door.  Before he reached it, the door flew open and then his mother was holding her arms out to him.  He went right to her, letting her hug him tight.

 

“My sweet Castiel, how is school, darling?”  She kissed his cheek before taking him by the hand and pulling him into the house.  He closed the door and followed her into family room.  It appeared that his sister and her husband had already arrived, and so had Gabe.

 

“Cassie!”  Gabe jumped off the couch and hugged him tight.  He hugged his brother right back.  “Are you excited?”

 

“Very.  I can’t wait to see what I get.”  He replied.  Anna came to hug him too.

 

“We’re excited for you.  I can’t wait to hear what yours will be.  Just remember, it might take a few days to a few weeks before it can find its way to you, so have patience.  Remember how long it took Kali, Gabe’s ferret to get here?  She had to escape the pet store first, and that took her weeks.”  She giggled and looked over at where Gabe had returned to his seat on the couch.  Kali was perched on his shoulder and leaning down to steal his glass of water.  When he caught her doing it he grumbled at her under his breath and held his glass further out of her reach.

 

“Yes, I remember.  I’ll be patient.  Besides, this is the last two weeks of the last semester.  I’ll be starting my finals soon, so that will have my full concentration.”  Cas moved over to the couch and sat down.  Two seconds later Kali was dropping into his lap, rolling around and begging to be pet.  He happily obliged, grinning as she chewed playfully on his fingers and scampered back and forth across the couch between him and his brother.

 

“She has a ton of energy today.”  Gabe noted.  “I don’t know what’s gotten into her.”

 

“She’s just in a good mood.  I like when she’s playful, she’s fun.”  Cas dangled one of the toys Gabe had brought with for her over her head and she was jumping up, trying to grab it.

 

“Usually she’s a bitch to me.  I don’t think she likes me unless she thinks she can get something out of me.”  Gabe frowned as he watched his brother playing with Kali.

 

“She loves you.  I’ve seen you laying back with her curled up on your chest, sound asleep.  Don’t even try to tell me she doesn’t love you.  She’s a ferret, they’re mischievous by nature.  I think that’s perfectly fitting, seeing as who her witch is.”  Cas teased.  As if to prove Cas right, Kali scampered over to Gabe and began licking his chin.  He chuckled and scooped the squirming, furry noodle up so he could kiss the top of her head.  She broke free a few seconds later and scurried back to pounce on Cas.

 

“She is certainly a bundle of energy.”  Their mother smiled as she brought a glass of the infused water she always served.  She was big on natural, healing magic, always had been.  Cas took after her in that manner.  He sipped at the water, humming happily when he tasted oranges and raspberries.  There was even a slice of orange and some berries in the glass.

 

Their father arrived home from picking Mike and his family up at the airport and then things really got hectic.  Cas was busy playing with his nieces and nephew, but also with Kali who had to be right in the center of all of it.  Anna’s wolf Taffy (She’d been completely surprised by the wolf’s name when she’d told Anna it.  Familiars could speak telepathically with their witch. It was how a witch knew their animals true name) was lying on the floor in the corner, watching the children play, and watching Kali pretending to pounce at them as she joined in on the fun.  Cas always loved being around Kali.  He sort of wished his familiar was a ferret, they were so cute!

 

The day moved slowly but it was never _not_ entertaining.  Cas chatted with his brothers about his classes and Anna wanted to know about his dating life.

 

“I don’t have one, that’s how it’s going.”  He rolled his eyes. 

 

“You’re so sweet, and so gorgeous.  I know there has to be someone out there for you.  They’re coming, just wait.”  She spoke with so much confidence that he wanted to believe her.  Their mother jumped in, agreeing with Anna.

 

“There’s definitely someone out there for you.  You’ll be drawn to them, just as I was drawn to your father, Anna to Martin, Mike to Sheila.  It will happen when you’re ready.”

 

“What about me?  Don’t I get a pep talk too?  Hello, single here.”  Gabe pointed at himself.  Kali ran up his leg and flopped over on her back, squirming until he scratched her belly, then the chewed playfully on his fingers.

 

“I think you’ve found your other half already.”  Mike joked and everyone, even the kids burst out laughing.  Everyone except Gabe, that was.  He pursed his lips in annoyance and shook his head.

 

“You’re all brats, you know that?”  He’d have called them assholes, even his parents if the kids hadn’t been present.

 

“I hope mine’s a rabbit.”  Danni, Mike’s older daughter said.  She was leaning back, her head in Cas’ lap and looking up at him with big, chocolate brown eyes.  She was the spitting image of her mother.

 

“Why a rabbit?”  Her uncle asked.

 

“Because they’re quick, and they’re soft.  I like rabbits.”  She had just turned 12 and had a long way still to go before she’d be ready for her own familiar.

 

“I want mine to be a dinosaur!”  Mike’s four year old son Ethan exclaimed.  Everyone laughed softly at that. 

 

“I want a falcon.  They’re so cool.  We’re studying them in school.”  Lysette, Mike’s nine year old piped up.  She was never one to be left out of things.  “What do you hope yours will be, Uncle Cas?”

 

“I’m not sure.  When I was a little boy, like around Ethan’s age, I used to hope it would be a dolphin.  I thought they were so smart and cool.  I’ve learned a few things about dolphins since then that make them a lot less cool to me.  When I was your age, I wanted a dog.  I’ve always loved dogs and wanted one.  By the time I reached Danni’s age, I wanted a wolf, but not just any wolf, a _grey_ wolf.  Taffy is awesome, but I have just always loved grey wolves.  Now, I don’t know.  I guess as long as it’s not a bug, I’ll be happy.”

 

“Eww, bugs are gross.”  Lysette wrinkled her nose in disgust.

 

“I know someone that has a Madagascar hissing cockroach as their familiar.  He offered to let me hold George, that’s the roach, and I couldn’t do it.  Thankfully George understood.” 

 

“Gross.”  Even Danni looked disgusted.

 

“I know a girl whose familiar is a bat.  It’s pretty cool.  He hangs out inside her coat at work and eats the fruit she brings him on her break.”  Mike said.

 

“I like bats.”  Cas really did.  They were vital to the ecosystem.

 

“Well, whatever yours may be, it will be perfectly suited for you.  A familiar always is.  I was mildly disappointed when I first learned mine was a dove, but Hector is beautiful, and we’ve had many long, happy years together, isn’t that right, Hector?”  Their mother, Jeanne held her hand up and a second later a snow white dove landed on it.  She smiled as she pulled her hand down until the bird was in front of her face and she could pet him.

 

“That’s right, Hector, I do need to check on dinner, thank you.” 

 

She stood up and started for the kitchen with Hector still sitting on her hand.

 

As the evening wore on, they enjoyed a lavish meal, as was family tradition, and at 11:30, Cas went to change into the gowns his father provided for him.  They’d been passed down from generation to generation, and all of his siblings before him had worn them, plus his father, grandfather, and many before them.  Dressed and ready to go, he made his way out to the garden, where his father and mother had already set up earlier for the spell. They were currently using the moonlight to energize the candles and stones that the spell called for.  Cas was seated in the center of the pentacle they’d made out of the stones, with the candles at each point; a different color for each element.  The kids were too young to take part in the ceremony, but all of the adults were seated around the pentacle, ready to start as soon as the clock chimed twelve.

 

Cas closed his eyes and began to meditate.  He heard his father begin the spell, and he knew from previous experience that one by one, the candles were being lit.  Lastly, the one he was holding was lit.  The one for spirit.  He floated peacefully in his meditative state until he heard the chanting stop.

 

“Call to your familiar, Castiel.”  His father commanded. 

 

Cas felt the tendril of something extending outward from his body.  It was an unusual sensation, and one he’d never experienced before and it felt like it was reaching, searching for something, and he let it extend out until finally it locked on something.  His eyes flew open and he gasped.

 

“He found it.”  His father, Rich announced.  Anna and Sheila both clapped excitedly.

 

“Does it feel like it’s far away?”  His mother asked.

 

“I…can’t tell.  I don’t think it’s _that_ far.  So it’s probably a bear or a wolf, or something like that, right?”  Cas looked at her but she simply shrugged.

 

“It could literally be anything.  You’ll just have to wait and see.  Remember, your heart chooses your familiar, even if you don’t realize it.  Yours will be perfectly suited to you, just you wait and see.”

 

With the ceremony over and lightning filling the night sky, they hurried to clean everything up and get inside.  They managed it just before the first cold, fat drops of rain began to fall.  There was a storm rolling in, and it was going to be a bad one, Cas could feel it.


	3. Chapter 3

With so much family all under one roof, Cas volunteered to take the couch in the parlor so the kids would have a bed to sleep in.  The house was quiet and had been for several hours now, despite the pounding rain, booming thunder, and lighting that lit the sky up bright as day.  Cas had drifted into a light sleep that was broken off and on by vivid dreams of running through a forest, naked, feeling the air upon his skin and the earth beneath his feet.  The sound of someone pounding on the front door a few hours after he’d gone to bed startled him awake and he sat up sharply.  The storm was still raging outside and at first he thought maybe he’d imagined the knocking, but then it came again.  He threw the blanket back and got up.  So far no one had come downstairs which meant the storm was louder up there and they hadn’t heard the door at all.  Slowly he made his way into the foyer and unlocked the door.  If it was someone there to hurt his family, he had the benefit of magic.  Hopefully that was not the case.

 

He only meant to crack the door open a bit, but a strong hand pushed it all the way open.  His eyes widened when he saw a shadowed figure standing there, drenched in rain, chest heaving from exertion.  It was male, judging by the height and size, and…naked.  Just as Cas brought his hands up, ready to do a defensive spell, lightning cracked across the early morning sky, lighting it up, and showing clearly who was standing at the door.

 

“Dean?”  He gasped.  The other man blinked and stepped into the house. Cas backed up a few steps, aware of the anger rolling off of the other man.

 

“Want to tell me why, in the middle of the damn night I felt this overwhelming urge to run, and it brought me here?”  There was a growl in Dean’s tone and the hunch of his shoulders as his green eyes flashed silver for just a split second told Cas _exactly_ why Dean was here, and what he was.

 

“Oh…oh my god…”  Cas brought both hands up to his mouth in horror.  The light in the foyer flipped on and the sound of his mother’s surprised yelp startled him and he turned to see his parents standing near the stairs to the second floor.  Dean of course noticed them too, and he seemed not perturbed at all for them to be seeing him ass naked, and standing inside their house looking like he was ready to eat their youngest son.

 

“Who are you?”  Rich demanded.  Like his son, he brought his hands up, ready to defend his son and the rest of his family if need be.  Dean snarled at him before turning his attention to Cas.  Some of the fight left him and his shoulders sagged.

 

“You’re kidding, right?  This was your ceremony night?  You’re a witch.” 

 

Castiel blinked in surprise.  “Y-yes, I am, and yes, today is my birthday.”

 

Dean dug the heels of his hands into both of his eyes and groaned in frustration.  “Fuck!  I have a life planned out, you know.  I didn’t ask for this!”

 

“What…”  Jeanne looked at her husband in confusion but Rich had already figured it out.

 

“You’re Castiel’s familiar.” 

 

“It would seem so.”  Dean replied irritably.

 

“Oh!”  Jeanne squeaked and covered her mouth as her jaw dropped.  Cas reached around the naked man to close the front door before anymore water came pouring in.

 

“You must be freezing.  I’ll grab some towels and a warm blanket.  Jeanne, come with me, sweetheart.”  Rich wrapped an arm around his wife’s shoulders and led her towards the first floor bathroom leaving Cas to face a thoroughly unhappy Dean Winchester. 

 

“So.  You’re a werewolf.”  Cas said lamely.  Dean cocked an eyebrow at him.

 

“Yeah, which means we’re susceptible to a witch’s call.”

 

“I’m sorry, I thought I’d get like, a mouse, or a rat.  I…wanted a wolf though.  I didn’t think the spirits would go with _werewolf_.”  Cas apologized.  Dean cocked his head, studying him with those intense green eyes of his.

 

“I know you.  You go to my school.”

 

Cas blushed and looked away.  “I-yes, I do.  We currently have English together.”

 

Dean’s eyes lit up with recognition.  “I thought I recognized you.  You know my friend Charlie.”

 

Rich returned, sans wife, with a stack of bath towels, a thick blanket, and an equally thick robe.  He also carried with him a pair of pajama pants and a tee shirt.

 

“I hope this will keep you warm.  If you need anything else, please just ask Cas.  He’ll get you anything you want.”  He plopped everything in his son’s hands before giving him a pointed look and disappearing back upstairs.  Cas realized he must have already sent his mom back up to their room.  He held the pile out and Dean eagerly grabbed the towel on top.  Cas averted his gaze as the man began drying his body.

 

“So what happens now?”  Dean asked as he grabbed a second towel.

 

“I don’t understand.”  Cas replied.  Dean rolled his eyes as he grabbed the pajama pants and pulled them on, then did the same with the tee shirt.  Cas used the remaining towel as well as the ones Dean had dried himself with to start wiping up the water on the tiled floor.

 

“With us.  How does this work?  I follow you around like a little lost puppy until the day you die or do I get to come and go as I please?”

 

“Oh, well, I think that as I practice more elaborate spells, your presence will be needed, and as far as my siblings and their familiars, theirs live with them.  I-I don’t expect you to do that.  I don’t wish to upset your life.  If I could break the bond I would.  I’m so sorry.”  Cas’ eyes welled up with tears as he picked the towels up.  He kept his head lowered, his red rimmed eyes on the floor as he hurried to the bathroom to hang them up to dry.  Once they were hung he sniffled and wiped at his eyes before turning to walk out.  He jumped when he saw Dean standing in the doorway.

 

“I suppose we’re just going to have to make the best of this situation.  I’m not completely pissed about this.”  The wolf said.  There was a rumble in his voice that Cas had missed in a school setting.  Had he heard that, he’d have known immediately that he was a werewolf.  This was simultaneously like a dream come true and his worst nightmare, all rolled into one.  He _finally_ had the attention of his crush, after six long years, but only because the fates had decided the man should be his familiar.

 

“You’re not?”  He asked, surprised by Dean’s words.

 

“No, I’m not.  Not when I might have the hottest witch this side of the Mississippi.  I’m fairly certain they’re not this hot on the other side either.”  Dean’s grin was wolfish and it made Cas’ heart beat wildly in his chest.  He stepped into the room and it seemed as though suddenly he was even larger than Cas had ever realized.

 

“You know, I can hear your heartbeat, pounding in your chest every time I look at you.  I’m a born wolf, destined to lead the Winchester pack.  I’m an Alpha, not that that means much to you, but to a wolf it means I’m the dominant.  I’m strong, virile, and-”

 

“Full of yourself?”  Cas surprised himself with that, but it seemed to completely throw Dean off his game.  The wolf blinked at him, just as much surprised as he was.

 

“I- _what_?”

 

“You’re going on and on about how amazing you are.  Did it occur to you that perhaps the reason _you_ were chosen as _my_ familiar was because you were matched with an equally powerful witch?”

 

One corner of Dean’s mouth pulled down as he considered his words.

 

“I suppose.  Maybe.  You’re so quiet in class though, how are you a powerful witch if you barely ever talk or use magic?”

 

Cas was about to argue when his brain caught onto something in the other man’s words.

 

“Wait a minute, you _know_ we’re in class together?”

 

Dean smiled sheepishly as he rubbed at the back of his neck.

 

“Yeah, ok, I’ve noticed you around campus for years now.  I knew you were a witch but I didn’t know if you knew who _I_ was.  Or what I am.  Seeing as how you said my name when I showed up, I realized you did know who I am.  Guess I thought I’d try to talk myself up, impress you.  I failed miserably, didn’t I.”

 

The corners of Cas’ mouth twitched slightly as he advanced on the wolf, forcing the man to step back and out of the bathroom.  Cas turned the bathroom light off but remained in Dean’s personal space.

 

“I wouldn’t say miserably, but you came off sounding like a narcissistic asshole for a solid few seconds there.  I know that’s not how you really are though.  Now, it’s late, I’m tired, and I don’t expect you to run back to school in the rain.  You’re welcome to share the sofa bed with me.  My whole family came for the ceremony so I had to give my room up to my nieces and nephew, hence why I’m sleeping down here.  It’s actually pretty decent as far as comfort goes.  My mom put down a six inch memory foam topper for me to sleep on, so it’s more comfortable than it would be if I had to sleep straight on the mattress.” 

 

He turned and started back towards the parlor.  Dean followed quietly after him.

 

“I sense other familiars in the house.  Quite a few of them, actually.” 

 

“Yes, my visiting family brought their familiars, and then there are my parents’ here as well.”  Cas explained as he pulled the covers back on the other side of the sofa bed.  He nodded towards it and Dean slipped under the blankets, grabbing the one Rich had left for him and adding that to the pile already on the bed.  Cas laid down and pulled the blankets back over himself.  For a long time they both laid there in silence.

 

“You say you’re a werewolf?  As in a shifter?  Werewolves I thought were bitten, but you say you were born a wolf.”

 

Dean turned his head to look at him, the lightning outside flashing and illuminating Cas’ blue eyes as he stared back.

 

“Shifter, werewolf, it’s all the same.  Yes, a very small percentage of people can be bitten and become a shifter, but that hasn’t happened in a couple hundred years.  Humans only got themselves bitten because they were assholes and chased us to kill us.  We’ve mostly stuck to the forests, leaving the cities to the humans and witches.  Only in the last hundred years or so have we started to venture into the cities, to try to learn trades, and go to school.  My brother plans to be a lawyer, so he can defend shifters charged with crimes they didn’t commit.”

 

“What are you in school for?”  Cas had always been so curious about Dean, and this was his chance to learn more about the man.  Even in the dark he was so handsome it took the witch’s breath away.

 

“Engineering.  Yeah, it’s a school of magic, but it has one of the best engineering programs in the country.  I want to make living in the forests easier for my pack.  Being able to build the things we need, so we have running water, heat, that’s important.  I want to bring solar energy to our homes.  We live where there’s an underground spring and I want to tap into it to bring up fresh water.  Things like that.” 

 

“That’s…wonderful.  Are you really going to take over the pack?”

 

Dean took a slow, deep breath and let it out even slower.  “That was the plan.  I can’t if I have to follow you everywhere.  I’m bound to you now.”

 

He sounded so sad, and it broke Cas’ heart.  His throat got tight and the tears began to slip down his cheeks before he even realized he was crying.  There was a rumbling growl from the space next to him, one that sounded anguished, and then he was being pulled into a pair of strong arms.

 

“Hey, I don’t blame you, so stop blaming yourself.  We can figure something out.  It’s not like this is the first time a shifter got the call, and it won’t be the last.  I don’t think you’re a dick; you feel actual guilt over this, I can smell it on you.  We’ll figure this out together, ok?” 

 

It made Cas feel even worse that Dean was the one forced to console him.  He felt like the worst witch in the world.  Dean just pulled him closer as his breath hitched and a fresh set of tears began to fall.  He snuggled into the other man, burying his face against his neck and breathing in his scent.  He’d always heard that werewolves- _shifters_ , he corrected himself, smelled like wet dog, but Dean did not.  He smelled of the rain, yes, he’d been out in it, but there was an underlying smell of something spicy that Cas liked very much.  It made him feel safe.  Slowly his sobbing subsided and his body relaxed.  Dean continued to hold him though, and for that he was grateful.  He drifted off to sleep, dreaming of a large, white wolf with piercing green eyes, and of warm lips on his own.  It was the best dream he’d ever had.

 


	4. Chapter 4

The following morning Cas woke to the sound of hushed whispers and less quiet giggles.  He cracked an eye open but all he saw was white.  Leaning back a bit he realized the white was a tee shirt, and that he was currently wrapped up in a pair of warm arms.  The night before came flooding back in vivid Technicolor and he stiffened as he realized _who_ was holding him.  A rumble bubbled up from Dean’s chest and he pulled Cas close again.

 

“What are you freaking out about now?”  The wolf’s voice was thick with sleep but he opened one eye to see two wide blue ones staring back at him.

 

“I thought…I mean,”  Cas’ cheeks were burning, and it made Dean chuckle softly.

 

“You want me to let you go?”

 

“Of course he doesn’t want you to let him go, you’re like his dream come true.”  A voice off to the left said.  Cas quickly sat up to see almost his entire family sitting or standing across the room from the couch, watching them with wide, knowing smiles.  Dean stretched and yawned before propping himself up on one elbow.  He looked around the room, his eyes locking on Taffy for a moment.

 

“No, sister, sorry, not interested.”

 

Taffy sneezed and looked away.  Cas got the impression she was rather irked by Dean’s words.

 

“You…can hear her?”  He asked.  Kali came bounding across the bed, doing her adorable little pounce as this time she tried to get Dean to play with her.  He smirked as he pretended to wrestle with the ferret.

 

“I can hear them all.  This here is Kali.  She wants to play and be friends.  She also says she loves Gabe, whoever that is.  That he takes very good care of her and she would do anything for him.”

 

Gabe coughed across the room, his cheeks reddening as his family all grinned at him.

 

“And you thought she hated you,”  Cas teased.  “Even I knew she loves you.”

 

“They’re all animals though, with animalistic instincts.  Being a familiar, her instinct to hunt and kill is nonexistent when Gabe is near, otherwise she says she would eat…Jeanne’s?  Dove.  It’s been annoying her for years now, she says.”

 

“Oh!”  Cas’ mom exclaimed.  Cas laughed and fell back onto the bed.

 

“Why are you all standing in here staring at us?  Don’t you have better things to do?”  He asked.

 

“Of course, but your familiar has arrived.  We’re curious.”  Mike replied.  Dean pushed himself up into a sitting position, then throw the covers back so he could stand up.

 

“My name is Dean Winchester.  I’m the second in command of the Winchester pack.  I actually know Cas here from school, we’ve had a few classes together over the years, and we’re both in the same English class right now.  It’s 18th Century literature.  It’s an elective for me, I’m done with my prerequisites.”  He walked around the room, shaking the hand of all of the adults.  Cas had no idea where the kids were.  Probably in the media room watching a movie.  He could still hear rain falling outside, though the storm itself had finally passed.

 

“And you’re a werewolf?”  Mike asked.

 

“I prefer the term shifter, but yes. I was born one.”  Dean returned to the bed and sat down again.  Cas forced himself to sit up again and moved to the edge of the bed where he sat down beside his familiar.

 

“The bond between a witch and a shifter familiar is even stronger because human emotions come into play from both sides, not just the side of the witch.”  Rich explained.  “These kinds of pairings are very rare, but they’re also incredibly strong.  There’s a prophecy somewhere about a witch with a werewolf familiar.  It is supposed to show up in the night, during a storm.  That could be you two.”

 

He hurried from the room, presumably to fetch whatever book this prophecy was in.  Dean looked at Cas, his brow furrowed and his plump lips turned down in a frown.

 

“You guys believe in prophecies?”

 

“Well…yes.  Even regular humans do.  They have Jesus Christ, don’t they?  Do wolves not have them?”  Cas countered.

 

“I guess.  I heard my mom mention them a time or two.  Never thought they were real though.”  Dean shrugged.  He looked around at the other familiars in the room.  When his eyes landed on Hector, he smirked.

 

“Well no wonder Kali wants to eat you.  You really need to stop pulling her fur out and pooping on her every chance you get.  It’s not nice.”

 

Gabe laughed and even Jeanne smiled.

 

“Hector, is that what you’ve been doing?  You naughty boy.”  She chided.  The dove cooed and nuzzled against her cheek as if trying to placate her.  “He says he won’t do it again, Kali, he’s very sorry.”

 

Kali hopped across the bed before leaping at Gabe who caught her in midair and cradled her to his chest.  She made a chirpy, chattering sound as she settled down so he could scratch her head.

 

“How does breakfast sound?”  Sheila clapped her hands together.  “Mother Novak and I can get started on eggs and bacon.  How does that sound?”

 

“Sounds great.”  Dean replied, grinning.  “If you have the ingredients I can make waffles.  If you have a waffle maker, that is.”

 

“I do.”  Jeanne said.  “We’ll let you boys be for now.  Join us in the kitchen when you’re ready.”

 

She herded everyone out of the room, familiars included, and a few moments later Dean and Cas were alone once more.

 

“Your family is nice.”  Dean commented as he looked around the room. 

 

“They are.  I am lucky to have them.”  Cas agreed as he got to his feet.  Together they began folding the blankets, then they tucked the bed back inside the couch.

 

“Do you come here often?”  Dean grimaced.  “Wow, that sounds like such a cheesy pickup line.”

 

Cas laughed as he put the cushions back on the couch.  “I come here mostly for ceremonies and solstices, my course load has been too heavy to include much time for just visiting, but with graduation coming, I’m not sure whether I’ll move back home or not.”

 

Dean was quiet and Cas definitely noticed.  He turned to look at the wolf who was playing with the strings on his pajama bottoms as he stared at his feet.  Cas realized why he looked so down.  If he moved back here, Dean would have to follow.  His instincts to stay close to his witch would outweigh those that pulled him back to his pack.

 

“Or not.  I mean, a cabin in the woods sounds nice too.”  He said quickly.  Dean looked up at him, a small smile ghosting over his lips.

 

“You don’t have to do that for me.”

 

“But I would.”  Cas insisted.  “I think we can come to a comfortable compromise.  I’m sure your pack wouldn’t want me in their territory, but I could be near enough that you can be with your pack, and not resent me for taking you away from them.  I want you to be happy, Dean.  A good witch loves and cares for their familiar, and in turn, the familiar loves and protects their witch.”  He was quoting one of the magical textbooks he’d studied in school as a boy but when he realized exactly _what_ he’d just said, his entire face and neck flushed red with embarrassment.  His mouth flapped for a few seconds before Dean broke out in amused laughter.

 

“Chill, Cas.  I know what textbook you’re quoting, and yeah, I don’t think there’s any issue of you not being a good witch.  Heck, your guilt alone last night told me I won’t have to worry about you mistreating me.  Are you even sure you _could_ live in the forest?”

 

“Maybe.  If a certain engineer can help me with water and electricity.”  Cas grinned as Dean laughed again, this time in surprise.

 

“I can definitely help you with that.  Thought you were a witch though, doesn’t that mean you can like, pull light out of nowhere to illuminate your living space?”

 

“I’m a elemental and nature witch.  I draw my energy from nature.  I wouldn’t want to drain the land and everything around me just so I can cook and bake.  I’d prefer to have electricity and running water so that I might focus on healing damaged trees, and helping the bee colonies find enough food by making sure enough wild flowers bloom.”

 

Dean was staring at him as if he were an enigma.  He tilted his head as he peered up at the wolf.

 

“What?”

 

“You’re not the witch I thought I’d be tied to.  I expected someone like Alistair.  Thankfully his familiar is a vulture.  Fitting, I think.”  Dean smirked.  Cas wrapped his arms around himself as he remembered how cruel Alistair had been to him their first year.  His coven was no friend of the Novak’s, and ever since that first negative encounter he’d made a point of avoiding the other witch.

 

“What’s wrong?  You smell upset.”  Dean was at his side in an instant, rubbing his arms as he tried to calm his witch.

 

“I don’t like Alistair.  His coven is not one that mine is at peace with.  He threatened me our first year of school.  I avoid him as much as possible.  I’ve even changed classes if I saw him in one.”

 

The low growl that spilled past Dean’s lips caught him off guard and he looked up curiously at the wolf.

 

“He’s never going to touch you, that’s a promise.”

 

Cas smiled.  Dean wanted to protect him.  He wondered if it was _just_ because he was Cas’ familiar, or if it had to do with his inner wolf.  If it was the inner wolf, didn’t they usually only act like that around their mates? 

 

“Come on, I have waffles to make for what I believe is a rather large family.  You wanna help?”  Dean stepped back and Cas immediately missed the man’s touch.  He smiled a bit wider and nodded.

 

“I can’t make waffles from scratch, will you show me?”

 

Dean’s smile was dazzling and took his breath away yet again.

 

“You got it, gorgeous.”


	5. Chapter 5

Cas’ family had a million questions for Dean and he hung back as they took turns asking him about his life, his pack, his career goals.  It seemed Dean was relieved that they didn’t expect Cas to control all aspects of his life, and that he’d have the chance to see at least some, if not all of his dreams come true.

 

Dean knew how to make waffles from scratch, and without a recipe.  Cas marveled over that.  If he’d lived his entire life in the forests, how did he know to make them without a recipe?  He had so many questions for his familiar and everything Dean said or did made even more pop into his head.  The wolf was charming, friendly, and it was clear even his mother and Anna found him just as gorgeous as Cas did, if the heart eyes they kept throwing his way were any indication.  It gave him a better idea as to why girls seemed to flock to the wolf, he was naturally charismatic on top of extremely attractive.

 

When they all sat down to eat, Dean chose the seat next to Cas’ and as everyone dug in, he found his witch’s hand under the table and squeezed it gently.  Cas practically beamed at him.  There were rules against falling _in_ love with one’s familiar, but that was for the ones that were only animal.  He knew there were different ones, old but not completely outdated that were meant for the rare occurrence when one’s familiar was a shifter.  There were a variety of different kinds of shifter and Cas wondered if his deep affection and his natural pull towards wolves was how he ended up with a werewolf shifter as his.  Perhaps the fates were favoring him after all.

 

When breakfast was over and everything had been cleaned up. Rich brought out the dusty old tome he’d ran to fetch earlier.  He set it down on the dining room table and called Cas and Dean over to show them what he’d been talking about.

 

“I was right about the prophecy.  There is one witch every 100 centuries who is destined to be the most powerful.  It is a covetous position and many witches would see that one dead before they’d let them ascend and come fully into their powers.  The prophecy states that the witch will be born with a natural gift for dabbling in all magic, but as any other witch, will have a strong draw to one form or another.  In your case, it’s natural earth magic, just like your mother and Anna.  The ceremony to call forth their familiar will be performed as it is for every witch, however, the prophecy goes into a bit more detail from that point on.

 

“After the ceremony, a dark storm will roll in.  The witch does not realize they are the one causing it.  It will leave them restless, unable to sleep soundly, until the moment their familiar finally arrives.  They come in the night, during the worst of the storm, and their arrival heralds the coming of a new age.  Witch and familiar will bond, though the book doesn’t exactly explain how this bond differs from the usual witch/familiar bond, and at the moment the bond is complete, the witch will ascend, coming into their full powers.  After that, no other witch can harm them, or their familiar.  With the wave of a hand or a softly spoken spell they can dispel all evil, right all wrongs, and bring peace to the world.  The familiar is a werewolf, according to the text, male, strong, an Alpha, with a destiny of their own.  It gets a little vague after that, but apparently, if this _is_ you two, you must complete that bond before anyone outside our coven figures out that you two are tied together.”

 

“Why?  What happens if people figure it out?”  Dean asked.

 

“Well, it would be like putting a death sentence on my son.  Witches the world over will want to kill him to prevent the prophecy from being fulfilled.  Now, this is not _all_ witches, mind you.  Primarily it is those that do more than dabble in the dark arts.  To have a witch of pure light possess the power to banish darkness entirely would basically end magic for them, and they don’t want that.  The last witch to have a werewolf as their familiar was viciously hunted and slaughtered before the prophecy could be fulfilled.  Same with the one before that.”  Rich turned to his son, sliding his reading glasses off his nose and setting them on the table. 

 

“There is such a thing as a witch’s mark.  Now, this was thought to be something the colonists made up in order to hunt down those they believed were witches and have a legitimate excuse to kill them, but it was first whispered into their ears by a dark witch who was seeking to destroy those that practiced light, or more commonly called, “white” magic.  As a result several witches and many innocent humans were needlessly murdered in the name of religion.  The fact is, there _is_ a mark, but it is only found on the witch of prophecy, and not until _after_ the ceremony to call forth their familiar.  So.”  He stood back and looked his son in the eye.  “What we need to do is find any new mark on your body that was _not_ there yesterday.  If that mark is there, then you _are_ the witch from the prophecy.”

 

“What?”  Cas stared at his father in wide eyed horror.  “If others believe that, they’ll try to kill me!”

 

“But they won’t, because you will figure out what the bond is that will fulfill the prophecy.”  Rich stated. There was excitement in his voice that had Cas and Dean looking at one another, each with an eyebrow raised.

 

“And how exactly am I supposed to do that?”  Cas asked.

 

“We’ll call in Lady Pamela.”  Rich nodded, as if that was the answer to everything.  “Yes, I’ll call her immediately.”  He rushed out of the room before his son or Dean could argue.

 

“What do you think this bond is that he’s talking about?”  Dean asked as he sat down.  He tried to read the prophecy but the book was spelled so only the Novak coven could read it.  “How are we going to figure out what this entails?  Is there a specific time frame we have to figure this out in?”

 

“I assume before other witches figure out that I’m like, the chosen one, or whatever.”  Cas grumbled.  “Before they start coming and trying to kill me.  I can combat quite a few types of magic but there are some I simply cannot.  I’m not strong enough.”

 

Dean sat back in his chair, one arm draped over the back as he stared thoughtfully at the book.  Cas pushed it away with a growl that raised an eyebrow from the actual wolf.

 

“What do we do when we return to school and people start asking me about my familiar?  I have friends that are eagerly awaiting word from me.”

 

“Well, familiars are only allowed into classrooms and places like the library and cafeteria if they’re under a certain size, right?  What if you tell people yours is up in your dorm room because it’s too big?  That way we can both attend our classes without that to worry about, then I can beat you to your room before you get up there, so if your friends come by, I can be in my wolf form.”  Dean turned to look at him, only to find those blue eyes staring at him again.  “You know, you stare an awful lot.”

 

Cas blinked and dropped his eyes.  His cheeks flushed as he murmured an apology.  “Or I don’t put that kind of stress or responsibility on you and I just tell them mine has not arrived yet.  I don’t want you having to run around when you have studying to do too.  Finals are next week.”

 

Dean realized he was right and nodded.  “Yeah, I guess that way is better.  Less likely for one of us to slip up.  We just have to hang on until graduation.  Then we can slip away relatively unnoticed.”  He licked his lips as he attempted to appear as casual as possible.  “Maybe we should tell everyone we’re dating.  You know, so when my need to be close to you becomes a bit too much, it won’t look weird if we’re hanging out together.”

 

A knowing smile twitched at the corners of Cas’ lips as he looked at the other man.  “You know, don’t you.”  It wasn’t so much an accusation as it was a realization.  He smiled wider when he saw the blush that spread across Dean’s cheeks, highlighting his freckles.

 

“I maybe caught you staring a few times.  I also maybe mentioned how hot I thought you were to Charlie, who then maybe told me that you liked me.”

 

Cas gaped at him, not sure whether he should be embarrassed or flattered.  He was leaning towards embarrassed.

 

“You…,”  He narrowed his eyes.  “How long have you known I liked you?”

 

Dean’s smile was less cocky and much more shy than he expected to see, especially after his attempt at a dominant display the night before.

 

“I just found out a few weeks ago.  I, uh, caught you staring, so I started making a point of trying to get close to you, to see how much your scent would change when I was near you.  For the record, you’re lousy at hiding your emotions.”

 

Cas groaned and dropped his head into his hands.  Yes, this was definitely embarrassment.  “I had no _idea_ you were a wolf or I’d have tried harder to keep my feelings more neutral!”

 

Dean scratched at his chin, frowning at the stubble he could feel there.  “Well, I wanted to apologize for last night, I know I came off seeming like an asshole.  That’s not how I really am.  It was a combination of being upset that I was suddenly finding myself tied to a witch, having to run all the way here in a horrible thunderstorm and getting soaking wet in the process, and finding out that the witch I was tied to was like, the hottest guy I’ve ever met.  So yeah, my emotions and hormones were running a little higher than normal.”

 

“Please, don’t feel that you must flatter me, I promise I’ll be respectful of you.”  Cas dropped his hands and stared at the book again. 

 

“I’m not saying that just to flatter you, Cas.  I’m…not so good with my feelings.  Flirting, sure, it comes pretty easy, but actual _feelings_?  Not so much.  What I’m trying and failing at getting across to you is that this goes both ways.  I like you too.” 

 

Ok, so perhaps this was seeming less like a nightmare and more like a dream from which he hoped to never wake up.  Never in a million years would he have thought Dean liked him too.  He looked at the wolf and found those bright green eyes watching him again.

 

“Maybe we should find that mark.”  Dean said suddenly. 

 

“You think this is real?”  Cas asked.

 

“Well, your dad sure does, and while shifters do get the call, no witch has gotten one in like, yeah, what your dad said, at least a thousand years.  For the record, it was a wolf from my pack that got the call.  I wonder if the witch came from your coven.”  Dean sat up straight.  “Let’s get you into the bathroom and see if anything new popped up overnight.”

 

“I believe I can check myself over.”  Cas grumbled as he stood up. Dean was already heading for the bathroom but he glanced back, smirking at the witch’s embarrassment.

 

“Maybe, but you can’t check _everywhere_.  Plus. I’ve always wondered what was under those long sleeve shirts you always wear.”

 

Cas’ jaw dropped as Dean disappeared around the corner.  He followed after him and found the wolf already in the bathroom, turning on the light and leaning back against the counter expectantly.

 

“Tattoos.”  He blurted.

 

“Come again?”  Dean asked, confused.

 

“They cover tattoos.  I have spells tattooed on my body.  Down both arms, across one hip, on my ribs, and I have a series of protective symbols inked into my skin as well.  Several on my back, on both legs, on my wrists.” 

 

“Dude, that’s hot.”  Dean was grinning and Cas cursed his body for reacting to such a look.  He rubbed nervously at his arms. 

 

“You won’t know what to look for.”  He said lamely.

 

“How about you tell me which symbols and spells are supposed to be there and I tell you if there’s anything else visible?”  Dean pushed off the counter and before Cas could protest, grabbed the hem of his pajama top and pulled it over the witch’s head.  Cas gasped but Dean had already tossed the shirt aside and grabbed his wrists, preventing him from covering himself as the wolf’s eyes roamed hungrily over his body.

 

“You are fucking _gorgeous_.”  He growled.  Cas’ cock twitched but he held still, letting Dean drink in his fill.  Suddenly Dean moved behind him, placing his hands on the witch’s shoulders and moving him in front of the mirror.  “Does anything on your chest look different?”

 

Cas took several minutes studying his chest, and turned enough that he could see his sides and arms.  There was nothing out of the ordinary he could see.  Dean began reading off everything he saw on Cas’ back and at the witch’s request, went to grab his cell phone and take a picture of his back.  From there Dean searched inside Cas’ mouth, in his hair, even under his eyelids, just in case.  Nothing unusual could be seen. 

 

“Gotta lose the pants.”  Dean tugged at the waistband on Cas’ sleep pants, chuckling when his hands got slapped away.

 

“I can do that myself, thank you.”  Cas grumbled as he untied the pants and slid them off.  He felt self-conscious standing in front of Dean wearing nothing but his boxers, but Dean was busy studying the backs of his legs.

 

“How many leg tattoos and spells are we talking about?”  He asked.

 

“A feather on my right ankle, a dragon eye on my left foot, and a rather lengthy spell on each thigh.”  Cas replied. 

 

“What about this weird looking Z on your inner thigh?” 

 

Cas looked down, and sure enough, there was a weird looking Z on his thigh, halfway between his knee and groin.  His stomach dropped as he stared at it.

 

“I’m guessing that’s not one of the ones you already had.  This one looks more like a birthmark than a tattoo anyway.  Does it have any meaning?”  Dean had squatted down to get a better look at it but he was suddenly acutely aware of how badly Cas was shaking.  He jumped back up to his feet and pulled the man into his arms.  “Hey, it’s going to be ok.  I told you before, no one is ever going to hurt you.”

 

“I-it’s a wolf’s hook.”  Cas murmured against his neck.

 

“A what now?”  Dean had never heard of that.

 

“It’s ancient, Nordic in origin, embraced by the Germans sometime after the Viking age.”  Cas swallowed hard as he clung to Dean.  “It refers to a literal hook that was used to capture and kill wolves.  Back during a time when wolf packs were so large, and Dire wolves roamed all over Europe.  The Vikings were warriors, good at a great many things, but they were dying by the droves at the hungry jaws of the wolves.  So they began to kill them with these hooks.  This is where the first humans would have gotten bitten.  Fighting Dire wolves was nearly impossible, they were huge, but the Vikings gained the upper hand in the end.  Eventually the hook lost its value when other tools became available.  It was when the Vikings were first beginning to embrace their magical ability that the origin of the prophecy came about.  The text my dad was reading from earlier?  It’s not spelled, as you thought.  It’s written in an ancient Nordic language that no longer exists anywhere except on stones, runes, or in certain texts where it was passed down, generation to generation.  That book belonged to my ancestors.”

 

“Your ancestors…were Vikings.”  Dean concluded.

 

“Yes.”

 

Dean inhaled slowly, breathing in the sweet clove and honey spice of his witch before exhaling.

 

“I descend from Dire wolves.”

 

Cas stepped back and they simply stared at one another for a long, long time.

 

“I’m so sorry, Dean.”

 

“For what?  It sounds like there are forces at play here, and they’ve _been_ at play for much longer than we’ve been alive.  I know why my ancestors killed yours, and why yours retaliated and began to slaughter mine.  It’s not like your ancestors were the only ones.  The reason only shifters are Dire wolves anymore is because pure Dire wolves were driven into extinction.  I think that somewhere, some ancient ancestor of mine had started off human, but had been bitten.  Magic played into it somewhere and the first shifters were born.  We have stories written down too, passed down along the generations.  It seems like we’ve sort of always been destined to end up together.”

 

Cas huffed a humorless laugh.  “You make it sound poetic.”

 

“Isn’t it though?  I wonder if your dad has any kind of written documentation on the first shifter/witch connection.  There probably is of the second one.”

 

Cas looked down at the mark on his thigh.  This was real.  Some magical entity, thousands of years ago had set this ball in motion.  Others before him had failed, but he was supposed to fulfill this mystical destiny?  Something he’d never heard of before this morning?  He wanted to laugh, to scream, to pound his fists against the walls in frustration, but that would get him nowhere.  Instead, he snapped his fingers and his clothing was back in place on his body.

 

“Whoa,”  Dean’s eyes widened.  “That’s…”

 

“I can do a lot more than that, but I prefer not to.  I actually _like_ doing things for myself.”  Cas stared over Dean’s shoulder at his own reflection.  The haunted eyes staring back at him were unnerving.  To say he was scared was an understatement. 

 

“I think we should compare notes, talk to my mom, get the history from the wolf’s point of view as well as from your family’s.  Maybe somewhere along the line we can figure out how to seal this bond the way your ancestors hinted at.”  Dean suggested.  Cas dropped his gaze to Dean’s chest before nodding.

 

“Yes, we should do that.  I can’t get away until after graduation though.”

 

“That works fine, my parents are coming to my graduation, I’ll introduce you then.”  Dean tilted Cas’ head up so they were looking at each other.  “It’s going to be ok, Cas.  First, we ace our finals, then we deal with everything else.  Somewhere between those two things, I’d like to take you on a date, or is that taboo?”

 

Cas’ stomach did that fluttering thing again as he smiled.  “I’d love to go out with you.”

 

Dean pressed a soft kiss to his lips which just made the butterflies in Cas’ stomach explode.

 

“Let’s go tell your dad what we found, then we’ll make the drive back to school.  I have a paper due tomorrow on the fall of the Roman Empire and I’m only about ¾ done with it.”

 

“I have an essay due for Art History, so I suppose we should head back.”

 

“Which car in the driveway is yours?”  Dean asked as they walked out of the bathroom.

 

“Oh, mine is the ’64 Rambler.” 

 

Dean’s grin was wide as they made their way to the parlor in search of Rich.

 

“We’re going to get along just fine, Cas.  Just fine.”

**Author's Note:**

> For those that truly enjoyed this story, guess what, there WILL be at least one time stamp, maybe more. I hope everyone enjoyed this, and I thank you all for reading. Stay tuned, there are more stories on the way in the coming months.


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